5 Questions with Tom Costello, Sponsored by GreenTech Heat Solutions

1 . Is heat an effective tool for cockroach control?

Yes. GreenTech Heat is highly effective in the treatment of cockroaches. It will kill all stages of cockroaches from eggs to adults. Our equipment has successfully treated millions of cockroach infestations and the process received a patent in 1990. Heat is the only treatment that can eliminate the current infestation, prevent the eggs from hatching, and make the building smell better in one succinct treatment.

2. Is heat ovicidal?

Yes. Cockroaches and their eggs have no chemical resistance to heat. When a structure reaches lethal temperatures, they have nowhere to hide. Heat will kill the ootheca and make eggs unviable. This makes GreenTech Heat the best process that can kill all generations of cockroaches in a single treatment — wherever the cockroaches might try to scurry and hide.

3. What temperatures are needed to kill cockroaches?

155^°F to 160^°F for 90 minutes will achieve a complete kill. Lower temperatures can synergize slow-acting desiccants like boric acid dust (which when used alone can require 8 to 12 weeks) for a quick kill. We recommend dusting in false-cabinet bottoms and wall voids. GreenTech Heat penetrates every part of the structure, seeking out cockroaches and leaving them nowhere to hide. Heat seeks out the insects, reducing labor costs, treatment times, and repeat visits.

4. What other advantages are there to using heat?

Cockroaches have a tell-tale smell and create a filth everywhere they go. Not only does heat eliminate the “cockroach smell” these insects leave wherever they are found, it sanitizes and denatures the proteins in the urine and fecal matter left behind by cockroaches. Heat kills both the living infestation and destroys the source of lingering odors. GreenTech Heat equipment is perfect for treating restaurants, retirement communities, rental housing, hotels, and hospitals.

5. What steps do pest management professionals need to take post-treatment?

Post-treatment procedures are minimal. I suggest using a HEPA filtration vacuum to remove dead cockroaches, feces, and shed skins, and open windows to allow the structure to air and cool. Using bait stations after the treatment can confirm the kill.